By Michele Robertson
The City of Carlsbad has many ongoing projects in the works, focusing on public safety, housing and infrastructure, and quality of life. A visit with City Administrator Wendy Austin showcased several of these projects.
Public Safety
The city’s budget includes $7.8 million for public safety projects, including building and equipment upgrades. The fourth floor of the Police Department will be renovated to create additional office and training space. More police cars and ambulances and 50 other equipment and software upgrades will be purchased. Training budgets for all city departments have been increased, emphasizing the Police and Fire departments.
Working with the Carlsbad Municipal Schools and the Department of Justice, five additional School Resource Officers (SROs) were added, bringing the total to seven officers working directly with Carlsbad Municipal Schools and stationed in the schools.
During the current fiscal year, the city has added to the Carlsbad Police Department an additional two District Coordinator Officers, with a goal to have a total of four—one for each district in the city. These officers will patrol areas for added safety; equipment like bicycles for the officers has already been purchased. Three more Community Service Officers and seven additional Patrol Officers have been added. Some of these positions remain unfilled and are open to applications.
Housing and Infrastructure
The water and sewer infrastructure south of Carlsbad by the airport and north of Carlsbad by the Flume area is being extended to encourage housing and retail projects.
The city is working to purchase 500 acres of land from the Bureau of Land Management, just north of Ocotillo School to the George Shoup bypass. The city’s goal is to serve as the developer by installing infrastructure that will bring the cost of building homes down, allowing these savings to be passed on to the homeowner. The plan is to bring single-family homes, townhomes, and apartments to this area for $180,00-$220,00 or less. This area will include green space as well as retail space. Austin said the city is ready to begin as soon as the land is purchased, which is coming soon, with hopes of having the area ready for homes to be built in only a couple of years.
Significant weather events can cause severe flooding in the area, which is why the Dark Canyon Bridge at Boyd Drive and Radio Blvd is getting some much-needed attention. The city has received multiple competitive grants to fund the design and engineering of a bridge for this area. The cost to construct the bridge will likely be over $30 million, which is why it is key for these grants to be obtained.
Quality of Life
The Cavern Theater is a Carlsbad icon being restored to its previous glory days with some modern upgrades. State-of-the-art sound and visual systems have been installed, with a new stage, seating, and flooring, among many other updates. Final touches are in progress now with a grand opening planned for mid-2025.
The city has purchased the building at 405 W. Fox St. to house the Jed Howard Collection, located across from the Carlsbad Museum. The city hired the first-ever Community Historian to manage the Jed Howard Collection and continue documenting Carlsbad’s incredible history. Visit https://www.nearlovingsbend.net/ to learn more about the history of the community.
The city has also purchased land at 201 S. Halagueno St. caddy corner from the Janell Whitlock Municipal Annex Building. City staff, including projects, infrastructure, grants, and IT, will be located in this building. The city’s goal is to have a Municipal Plaza that will include City Hall, the Janell Whitlock Municipal Annex, the Carlsbad Public Library, the Carlsbad Museum, the Halagueno Arts Park, the Jed Howard Museum and Archive Building, and the new technical building (yet to be named). Many of the buildings in the plaza hold historical significance to the city of Carlsbad.
The Shorthorn Park Revitalization Project will commence in a few months and include pickleball courts, basketball courts, softball and baseball fields, a walking path, shade structures, picnic benches, and dedicated food truck space.
Many upgrades are coming to Lower Tansill, including boat ramps for fishing boats, canoes, and kayaks, additional shade structures, and picnic benches. This project also includes a floating bridge so walkers will not need to cross Greene Street to get from one side of the river to the other, making safety and accessibility a priority.
Port Jefferson will also undergo a remodel, including a ticket booth for events, restrooms, a public safety office, and an upgraded seating and snack bar area. A fitness court will be constructed in the parking lot north of Project Playground in partnership with the city, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and the National Fitness Campaign. The concrete work for this project is complete, and the city is preparing to install the court.
In the same vicinity, the Potash Park has a budget for completion. This is located East of the Pecos River Village Conference Center. The project includes obtaining additional potash equipment from Intrepid and Mosaic. An interactive history of the potash equipment will be created utilizing QR codes, highlighting one of the many important historical factors in the creation of this community.
The Bob Forrest Youth Sports Complex is also getting attention with irrigation and playground equipment upgrades. Shade is being added to playground areas that don’t have any. The concession stands are being remodeled, public Wi-Fi will be available, and a security system will be installed. RV parking is also being created, which will help with attracting more tournaments to the complex.
Completed Projects
A couple of completed projects include entrance signs and upgrades to the Riverwalk Recreation Center. Entrance signs have been installed and activated in three locations: the Walter Gerrells Performing Arts Center, the Hobbs Highway, and the Artesia Highway. These signs will advertise events happening in Carlsbad and showcase the community as visitors drive into town.
The much-anticipated reopening of the Riverwalk Recreation Center happened on December 17. New heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems were put in place, as well as new flooring on the basketball courts. Upgrades were made in the Powerhouse Room, LED lights were installed, landscaping improvements were completed and remediation of some safety concerns were done.
There are other projects that have been completed, are in the works, or are planned for the future. Austin said city projects take a considerable amount of time from conception to funding and then completion. Residents may not see immediate differences, but over a few years, they will notice completed projects they hadn’t seen before. To stay up to date with what’s going on with the City of Carlsbad, residents are encouraged to follow the city’s Facebook page, City of Carlsbad NM Government, and visit the city website at https://www.cityofcarlsbadnm.com/
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